Billings City Council approves development plan for One Big Sky District

BILLINGS- The Billings City Council approved Monday night the One Big Sky District development plan.

The 7-3 vote was a key step forward for the massive downtown redevelopment project, though it doesn’t commit public dollars.

City staff recommended approval of the deal to form a partnership with Big Sky Economic Development and Landmark Development Services. The plan has called for a large private investment to be matched with public money from the city’s tax-increment finance district.

City Administrator Chris Kukulski said at the meeting, “To have Billings be a community that is greater for our children and our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren is something I suspect everyone in this room would sign on to having it as an aspiration for us here in Billings. “

Steve Arveschoug, the executive director of the Big Sky Economic Development, said, “to make a decision tonight to move forward with this plan actually sends a pretty loud voice to the rest of the state. Time for the state of Montana to get in the game and look at its economic development tools.”